The first year of Collin Klein’s run at Kansas State comes with a schedule that looks awfully manageable on paper. ESPN statistician Bill Connelly has K-State at No. 69 in the country in schedule strength, which puts the Wildcats near the bottom of the Big 12. Only Texas Tech, at No. 72, has an easier slate.
That doesn’t mean the season is short on games worth circling. K-State opens with three nonconference matchups at Bill Snyder Family Stadium - Nicholls, Washington State and Tulane - and there’s a good chance fans are already treating those as wins. The Wildcats also avoid three of the league’s biggest names: BYU, Texas Tech and Utah.
Even with that break, there are still plenty of dates that stand out. Here are the five biggest games on Kansas State’s 2026 schedule:
- Nicholls at K-State (Sept. 5)
K-State’s opener has a built-in bit of history. Chris Klieman’s first game as Kansas State’s head coach also came against Nicholls in 2019, and he rolled to a 49-14 win.
This one should be just as lopsided. But it still carries some real appeal because it gives fans a chance to watch Klein make his home debut as head coach in Manhattan and pick up his first win at Bill Snyder Family Stadium.
- Kansas at K-State (October 17)
The Sunflower Showdown has belonged to Kansas State for a long time. The Wildcats have won 17 straight in the series, a streak that was already underway when Klein was still a backup quarterback in Manhattan.
That alone makes this game a fixture on the list. Add in the question of whether K-State can keep the streak going and the wrinkle of Dylan Edwards returning in blue instead of purple, and the rivalry game earns its spot.
- K-State at Arizona State (October 24)
This is one of the trickiest road trips on the calendar. Going to Tempe is hard enough, and the timing makes it even tougher.
The Arizona State game lands right after the Sunflower Showdown, and K-State has had a rough time in that spot in recent years. The Wildcats haven’t won the game after beating Kansas since 2022, and they’ve gone 2-5 in that situation under Klieman.
Now the question becomes how Klein’s team handles the week after its rivalry game.
- K-State at TCU (November 14)
TCU has not matched the one magical season Sonny Dykes delivered in 2022, but the Horned Frogs have still been plenty dangerous. They’re coming off back-to-back 9-4 seasons, which keeps them in the mix.
If Harvard transfer Jaden Craig lives up to the buzz at quarterback, TCU could be right there in the Big 12 race. That makes this one of the toughest road games on Kansas State’s schedule and one that could matter a lot in the conference standings.
- K-State vs. Houston (October 10)
This one has the look of a heavyweight matchup. Houston enters the season ranked No. 23, and K-State could be in the top 25 too if it starts 4-0.
If that happens, this could be one of the best games on the Week 6 slate and a big one in the Big 12 title picture as well. It also doubles as a measuring stick for the rest of K-State’s season.
Houston coach Willie Fritz has given the Wildcats problems before. He led Tulane to a win at K-State in 2022 while holding Klein’s offense to 10 points, then later guided Houston to an upset over K-State in 2024, when the Wildcats managed only 19 points.
If K-State gets rolling early and takes down Houston, the Wildcats will have plenty of national attention.
In Other News...
Kansas State Fans Have Fresh Fuel In The Will Howard Debate
Will Howards latest preseason outing for Pittsburgh gave Kansas State fans another chance to size up the former Wildcats quarterback as he tries to carve out a role in the NFL. In his second game with the Steelers, Howard went 10 of 15 for 74 yards against the Jets, a line that showed both the steady rhythm and the growing pains that come with learning a new system while fighting for a roster spot.
The bigger conversation, of course, is what it means for a player who left Manhattan with plenty of goodwill and now finds himself in a backup battle behind Aaron Rodgers. Drafted in the sixth round, Howard is still early in that climb, and preseason snaps can swing quickly from encouraging to uncomfortable. For Kansas State fans, each appearance feels like another data point in a debate that is only getting louder. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas State Suddenly Has A Week 1 Battle Up Front
Kansas States offensive line is taking shape under less-than-ideal circumstances as camp moves toward the opener. John Pastore and George Fitzpatrick are both expected to miss significant time, forcing the Wildcats to reshuffle a unit that already depends on cohesion and timing. Beyond those two, Tanner Morely, Tyler Johnson and Keiton Jones have also been limited in practice, adding more moving parts to a group that usually needs every rep it can get before the season begins.
For a team that wants to establish itself up front early, the timing is less than ideal. The Wildcats are working through an adjusted rotation now, trying to keep the line functional while also protecting against a deeper problem if the injuries linger. Even if the other limited players are not expected to miss the entire season, Kansas State is suddenly facing a real test in the trenches before Week 1 ever arrives. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas State Just Added Another Intriguing International Tight End
Kansas States 2026 recruiting class keeps taking on an international flavor, this time with the addition of tight end Elias Wilson from Frederikssund, Denmark. Wilson reclassified from the 2027 class, and his profile has been built on size, athleticism and strong showings at summer camps, the kind of traits that tend to make him an intriguing fit for a program that has not been shy about looking beyond the usual recruiting map.
Wilson also joins defensive tackle Adrian Bekibele as the second European prospect in the Wildcats 2026 class, giving Kansas State a class with a distinctly global feel early on. For the Wildcats, the appeal is obvious: adding a developmental tight end with upside is one thing, but landing one with that kind of background raises the question of how much more international the class might become as the cycle unfolds. [Read more 🡒]